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2014 GAF TV Show of the Year Voting Thread! Cast your votes!

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lamaroo

Unconfirmed Member
1. The Knick ;
2. Hannibal ;
3. True Detective ;
4. House Of Cards ;
5. Game of Thrones ;
6. Scandal ;
7. How to get away with murder ;
8. Red Band Society ;

If The Knick is not on your list it means that you didn't watch the show at all, go do it, NOW

http://33.media.tumblr.com/e499cdccc0e9bf0ce22ee609d1ced5cb/tumblr_na1vvq15M11suijfxo1_500.gif[IMG][/QUOTE]

Go watch Rectify right now, I know you didn't watch it because it's not on your list

:P
 

Niraj

I shot people I like more for less.
We don't typically do a 'best episodes' list here on GAF, but this is a fun list from Grantland:

- Our Favorite TV Episodes of 2014

Lots of great highlights from the year.

Some nice picks, especially for Justified, The Honorable Woman, and Mad Men. At first I was thinking "they picked that for Mad Men?" but then I realized that every time I think of the first half of season 7, that scene with Bert is what almost immediately comes to mind.
 
1. The Legend of Korra ; It hasn't always been great, but I can't say that I haven't always loved the show. The world is so rich and amazing, the stories always grand. Plus that ending. You know what I mean.
2. The Flash
3. Arrow
4. Once Upon a Time
5. Hell on Wheels
 

UrbanRats

Member
Bunch of stuff i have yet to see, but i won't make it by Jan7 anyway, so here it goes my (incomplete) list:

1. Rectify - A great second season, even though it didn't hit me as hard as the first one, i still thought it was the most interesting show on TV.
2. The Knick - Grabbed me from the very beginning, really impressed by the cinematography, score and performances on this show; the writing isn't prefect, but i think it got better as it went along (or maybe i just warmed up to it).
3. Nathan for You - Just about genius, a second season even better than the first one.
4. Hannibal - I liked this season better than the last one, though it had some very low points, especially as far as the writing is concerned, it's just such a unique ride every week, and so beautiful to look at, too.


I've seen other shows this year (Banshee, True Detective, Game Of Thrones, Masters of Sex, etc etc) but didn't like them well enough to mention them here, to be honest.
 
I just want to preface this by saying that I’m not the biggest fan of lists because I feel all these shows in my top ten (and some in my honorable mentions) are all very good in their own way. It’s hard for me to say which is better than the other since a lot of these shows strive for different things. So to rank them I based it more on how impactful and memorable these shows were for me after I finished watching them. This has been a fantastic season of television and a lot of these shows could be considered the best show of the year. (EDIT: I edited the list to add numerical values so it would fit the criteria. Apologies for any confusion RatskyWatsky)

1. Transparent: A wonderful show. Though the premise may sound simple (a father of 3 children announces one day that he now identifies himself as a woman) and could easily be made for cheap laughs, the show manages to tell a believable, endearing, and thoughtful story about the Pfefferman family and how each member of the family has a tough time being honest about who they are and what they want in life. In other words, it’s a story about ‘transparency’ and how these characters struggle with not only being transparent with those around them but with themselves. It has a great cast and wonderful performances (especially Jeffrey Tambor as the aforementioned patriarch of the family). Definitely one of the most pleasant surprises of this year.

2. Rectify: One of my favorites shows of last year and it’s just as good if not better this year. Mesmerizing. Charming. Sentimental. Normally, it would be strange to use such adjectives to describe a show that centers on a horrific crime that the protagonist may or may not have committed. But what makes it special is that the show is more focused on the characters and the emotional fallout rather than the grisly details of the crime itself (although that does get explored more in this season). It’s really a show about characters searching for connection with other people, with the world they lost and with the world they live in now. It's also nice for a change to have a big portion of the central cast be genuinely good and likeable people and not anti-heroes and sociopaths. (although bad people obviously exist in this world). This is a show that can bring a smile to your face one minute but can quickly bring you to tears in the next.

3. Boardwalk Empire: Despite a truncated season, the final season of BE managed to provide fitting and satisfying payoffs for the key characters of the show as well as utilize an ambitious narrative structure (ala Godfather II) in which 2 separate storylines are told in tandem (the rise of young Nucky and the fall of present Nucky) throughout the season. But much like the film, past and present manage to intersect at interesting and powerful junctures that augment the entire experience. But most importantly, like any season of BE, the season is anchored by a unique theme. In the case of this final season, the theme is that you cannot escape your past. Most of the key characters, whether they want to or not, are forced to confront their past in different ways and how they respond will ultimately decide their fate. Much like previous seasons, the final one is a slow burn that’s best judged in it’s entirety. But if you are willing to invest, you will be rewarded with a fulfilling and bittersweet final chapter. (also avoid spoilers if you can)

4. The Americans: The first season was a great spy thriller with a domestic angle, the second is the same but even better. Set around the time of the Iran-Contra incident, the struggle with truth and identity is richly amplified this season for Philip and Elizabeth not only on their job but in their domestic lives. But it’s not just them, side characters such as Stan Beeman, Nina and even Paige have compelling storylines this season as all these characters try to weed through all the deception in their respective worlds to search for meaningful truths. (I just wanted to point out that normally it’s challenging to make stories about children in spycraft thrillers interesting but I really enjoyed what they did with Paige this season) The season is tense, exciting and dramatic and I’m looking forward to where things go next. (PS- I’m still extremely upset at FX for refusing to release season 2 on Blu-Ray)

5. The Knick: When I first heard that Steven Soderbergh was directing the entire first season of the Knick like a 10 hour movie, I was both excited and apprehensive because transitioning to a new medium of storytelling can be quite difficult. It turns out my fears were completely unfounded as the Knick is a fascinating and captivating show that takes place during the early inception of modern medicine in the early 1900s. I like how the story examines this period through different facets of the medical world (doctors, nurses, administrators, health inspectors, ambulances etc.) as well as touching on the social, economic and racial factors. Clive Owen does a magnificent job as Dr. John Thackery whose brilliance is only matched by his instability. In a way, Thackery is like a reflection of the time period: both equally fascinating and horrifying. (In fact, as someone who isn’t easily perturbed by horror, I found myself genuinely disturbed by some of the things that happen in this show.) But like I mentioned earlier, this is an ensemble show and the rest of the cast are just as interesting. (some personal favorites include Dr. Algernon Edwards, administrator Cornelia Robertson, Nurse Lucy Elkins and the odd pairing of ambulance driver Cleary and the nun Harriet.) The show also has beautiful cinematography and an eccentric soundtrack. And with a second season on the way and with Sodenbergh committed to directing the entire season again, now is a great time to catch up on this underrated show.

6. True Detective: A terrific miniseries that is as much a serial killer mystery as a character study of 2 dynamically different characters and an examination of the darkness not only inside of us but in the world. The series is anchored by powerhouse performances from Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson who respectively play the nihilistic cynic Det. Rust Cohle and grumpy optimist Det. Martin Hart (as well as an underrated performance from Michelle Monaghan). The story is beautifully told by Cara Fukunaga and writer Pizzolatto as the collaboration between the haunting visuals and the thoughtful dialogue creates an engrossing and brooding experience. I also loved the use of imagery and symbolism. One good example is how the story focuses on symbols that imply imprisonment, blindness or repetition such as “the flat circle” and “the devil nets”. I like how they figuratively connect these symbols to the characters in the story by showing how many of them create self-imposed prisons to shield themselves from the darkness and ugly truths in the world but in end, they end up blinding themselves from seeing certain necessary truths. And in the end, they end repeating their mistakes over and over again. But the best part as I mentioned above is the complicated relationship between Cohle and Hart as their opposing views come into frequent conflict. But it is this relationship that is the center of this show and by the end of their journey neither characters are the same as they were in the beginning.

7. Fargo: As a huge fan of the Coen brothers (and a big fan of the original film), I was quite skeptical of this series when it was first announced. But my doubts quickly dissipated after watching the first episode. Not only did Noah Hawley manage to capture the tone and unique atmosphere of the film but he managed to craft a story filled with characters that would fit right in with the original universe. For example, one common trope found in the Coen films is the presence of a character that is more or less an embodiment of evil (a figure that is almost supernaturally nihilistic and immoral). In the show, Billy Bob’s Lorne Malvo fits this bill perfectly as he play a sociopathic criminal that comes into a town and wrecks havoc for his own amusement. But also like the original film, one of the major focuses of the story is on human weakness and Martin Freeman’s Lester Nygard is a great representation of this as Lester is a weak and cowardly individual who one day succumbs to his baser desires. Another character who explores this idea of human weakenss is Colin Hank’s Gus Grimley who is a well meaning individual who sometimes makes bad decisions because of his innate fear. But the big difference between Gus and Lester is that Gus takes responsibility for his actions which in the end makes all the difference. Of course to contrast all this, there needs to be a character that is both good and has strong resolve and Molly Solverson is just that (and she is wonderfully played by newcomer Allison Tolman). Much like Francis McDormand’s character in the original, Molly is persistent in her pursuit for justice. She makes a great protagonist and good anchor for the entire series. The series is funny, offbeat, dark and highly enjoyable. I’m very much looking forward to the prequel series.

8. Hannibal: Beautifully shot and wonderfully acted, the second season takes Hannibal to new heights. The focus on more serialized storytelling and less on case of the week stories makes this season even more focused and more exciting than the first. The conflict between Mads Mikkelsen’s Lecter and Hugh Dancy’s Graham is even more interesting as the season starts with a unique role reversal with Graham as the incarcerated criminal and Lecter as the sane observer. From there the story travels in interesting and unexpected directions that pulls in Jack Crawford and Alana Bloom and culminates in a powerful climax that is hinted at in the first episode of this season. Add in some memorable performances from guest characters such as Michael Pitt’s Mason Verger and you have a terrific season of television.

9. Mad Men: Even though it’s half a season, Mad Men makes it clear that the end is nigh. As the 60s transitions to the 70s, Don Draper and co. are faced with a transition of their own as many of the characters start this season at a proverbial crossroad in their lives. Don is essentially in limbo as he is not only stuck between LA and NY but between an old life as an Ad-man in NY or a new life with Megan in LA. And like Don, many of the characters this season have to decide for themselves what they really want out of life; material wants such money/a secure job or immaterial desires such as happiness and love. (or as a certain character puts it this season, ‘the best things in life are free’) There are many memorable scenes this season but some of my favorites include a tender moment between Don and Peggy and a surprising scene with Bert Cooper.

10. Shameless: In my opinion, this is Showtime’s most consistent show that continues to get better every year. Emmy Rossum continues to impress as she gives a powerful and very underrated performance as Fiona Gallagher in the darkest and, in my opinion, the best season of this series. Things start off well in the beginning as the Gallagher's have finally achieved a sense of financial stability but quickly spirals out of control. It's dramatic and at times quite heart breaking.

Honorable Mentions:
Game of Thrones: still the most entertaining fantasy show on TV.
The Comeback: funny, powerful and brutal satire of celebrities and the hollywood machinery. This could have easily made my top 10 but I need to watch the finale next week.
Getting On: very underrated medical dramedy that manages to find humor and genuine emotions in a dysfunctional environment. Please watch if you can, it's only 6 episodes per season.
Veep: i don't watch many comedies but this show is hilarious. Funniest comedy I've seen since Curb your Enthusiasm.
The Leftovers: Depressing and bleak but at it's best it is a great examination of loss
The Affair: Rashomon style of storytelling with great performances from both the leads and supporting cast.
Penny Dreadful: Eva Green steals the show in this fun gothic show.
Masters of Sex: I loved the 1st season but was a bit disappointed in the 2nd because it seemed less focused and more disjointed. Still the season had some great moments and I'm very much looking forward to S3.
Orange is the New Black: With less focus on Piper and a more balanced focus on the rest of the prisoners, the season has a good variety of compelling story lines.
Justified: This show is usually one of my favorites but S5 was a bit of a letdown mainly because I didn't find the Crowes to be that interesting (except for Dewey and Wendy). Still the dialogue is as sharp as ever and the final season looks very promising.
Banshee: great guilty pleasure show

Haven't Seen But Want To or Need to Catch Up On:
The Good Wife: still on S3. darn network shows and your 20+ episodes :(
Jane the Virgin
Peaky Blinders
Broad City
The Missing
Outlander
Manhattan
many more that I can't think of right now

TL;DR: there are a lot of great shows out there. I think every channel or online service has at least one great show. And judging by the upcoming shows in 2015, next year is going to be even better (and even more time consuming)
 

Empty

Member
I just want to preface this by saying that I’m not the biggest fan of lists because I feel all these shows in my top ten (and some in my honorable mentions) are all very good in their own way. It’s hard for me to say which is better than the other since a lot of these shows strive for different things. So to rank them I based it more on how impactful and memorable these shows were for me after I finished watching them. This has been a fantastic season of television and a lot of these shows could be considered the best show of the year.)

great list, very insightful :)
 

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
I just want to preface this by saying that I’m not the biggest fan of lists because I feel all these shows in my top ten (and some in my honorable mentions) are all very good in their own way. It’s hard for me to say which is better than the other since a lot of these shows strive for different things. So to rank them I based it more on how impactful and memorable these shows were for me after I finished watching them. This has been a fantastic season of television and a lot of these shows could be considered the best show of the year.

If you want your votes counted, then please rank them according to the rules listed in the OP. Thank you.
 

Dan

No longer boycotting the Wolfenstein franchise
I'll go with this for now. The order could change wildly depending on the hour of the day.

1. The Americans
2. True Detective
3. Fargo
4. The Knick
5. The Honourable Woman
6. Brooklyn Nine Nine
7. Hannibal
8. Veep
9. Transparent
10. Masters of Sex

Honorable mentions: Penny Dreadful, The Affair, Game of Thrones, Happy Valley, You're the Worst, Boardwalk Empire

Notable shows I haven't caught up on or begun: Mad Men, Rectify, The Good Wife, Peaky Blinders, Orange is the New Black, One Child
 
1. Hannibal
2. Rectify
3. Orange is The New Black
4. The Knick
5. The Americans
6. True Detective
7. Mad Men
8. Justified
9. Game of Thrones
10. Brooklyn 99
 

Humidex

Member
I have to admit, I've been a bit lean on watching TV this year!

That said, some notable highlights include;

  • 24: LAD
  • Line of Duty
  • Happy Valley
  • The Honorable Woman
  • True Detective
  • Black Mirror: White Christmas
One particular disappointment has been the second season of The Fall. God, that ending was just plain stupid. It smacked of an insurance policy for Jamie Dornan should his role in 50 Shades leads on to exactly nothing.

EDIT: I should also clarify in light of Cornballer's subsequent post that my opinions here are just that, and in no way should count to a final vote! :)
 

Pafnucy

Member
1. True Detective ; imo the best new show in 2014.
2. Game of Thrones ; best GoT season since the first one.
3. Vikings ; this needs more love, almost as good as GoT.
4. Hannibal ; amazing season, brilliantly played by Mads and Dancy.
5. Fargo ; positive surprise.
6. South Park ; best season in recent years.
7. Agents of SHIELD ; show finally got really good.
8. Marco Polo ; some nice characters and kung-fu.
9. Black Sails ; pirates :).
10. Penny Dreadful ; Eva Green ;).
 

Pluto

Member
1. Hannibal: It's beautiful, terrifying, has incredible acting and manages to surprised me despite having a good idea what's going to happen base don the novels.

2. The Goldbergs: One of the funniest sitcoms in a long time, it's an hodgepodge of 80s memories with great actors and great characters, it's also one of the few modern sitcoms where the characters seem to genuinely like each other, they argue and scream but you feel the love. Wendi McLendon-Covey has to be one of the funniest actresses I've ever seen, she's brilliant.

3. The Good Wife: Everything after "the death" has been awesome (not that it wasn't awesome before, it just became more awesome), the writers took the show in a direction I never would have expected and somehow it feels like this was always meant to happen. The cast is as great as always.

4. Shameless: Season 4 was Emmy Rossum's best so far, her performance was incredible, Mickey is another character I can't wait to see again, I really hope he and Ian get a happy ending although they probably won't.

5. Game of Thrones: Still awesome, Oberyn was fantastic addition, Arya and the hound were a great team, the deaths were great, I loved the wall stuff, everything involving Cersei ...

6. The Flash: it's exactly what I want a superhero show to be, it's fun, full of action with great characters and relationships (especially love Barry/Det. West). I appreciate that the show doesn't seem to be embarrassed to be a superhero show like so many others, they didn't make it darker or more serious than it had to be.

7. Penny Dreadful: I honestly didn't expect much from this show but it really surprised me, the setting, the characters, the various monsters, Eva Green and Josh Hartnett is awesome in this, who would have thought?

8. How to get away with murder: It's kinda ridiculous and over the top but also damn entertaining. It also has Viola Davis, she alone made sure the series got a spot in my top ten.

9. Jane the Virgin: A premise that sounds bonkers when you read it but the show is so funny and charming and Jane is a wonderful character.

10. The Legend of Korra: It feels like it never really lived up to its potential but it was still great, it aired its two final seasons this year and they were the series best imo. It was beautifully animated and featured some great characters.

I think I'll also do some honorable mentions:

Looking
Arrow
Parks & Recreation
The 100
House of Cards
Orange is the new Black
Scandal
Bob's Burgers
True Detective
The Americans
Teen Wolf
Outlander
Faking It
 

Weapxn

Mikkelsexual
1. Hannibal
2. Rectify
3. Transparent

And in no real particular order:

4. Kingdom - I didn't actually expect to enjoy this show. I fucking love it.

5. How to Get Away with Murder - Viola Davis kills it in the best ways possible.

6. The Good Wife

7. Orphan Black - My friend talked me into watching this. I was more than pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it.

8. House of Cards - Claire. Fuck yes.

9. Game of Thrones

10. Nashville - Connie Britton is my everything. I would literally kill someone if it meant she could appear on Hannibal.
 
great list, very insightful :)

Thanks. I also read your list and thought it was very thoughtful :)

Also thanks for reminding me of Olive Kittreridge which for some strange reason I didn't take into account when i made my list even though I thought it was fantastic. (too many good shows) I need to add it to my honorable mentions.
 
It seems there's more than a few shows I need to check out, but seeing as I don't know what my schedule will be like post-Christmas I'll go ahead do my list now. Hopefully I'll have a chance to come back and do a blurb for each.

1. True Detective - The 6 minute tracking shot was the best thing I've seen on television in recent memory and cemented TD's position at the top of my list.
2. The Knick
3. Peaky Blinders
4. The Americans
5. The Leftovers
6. Game of Thrones
7. Outlander
8. Penny Dreadful
9. Vikings
10. Black Sails - This was honestly a tossup. Like the honorable mentions it suffered from a few problems. Despite a slow, rocky start it quickly managed to find its footing and deliver a solid, enjoyable season. Bonus points: It coincided with my play-through of the highly enjoyable Black Flag and it got me to reread Treasure Island.

Honorable Mentions:
Community: A return to form for one of my favorite shows. Despite being the weakest Harmon led season, it had several episodes that were absolutely fantastic. G.I. Jeff was streets ahead.

The Walking Dead: The strongest season since the first. Despite making strides it still suffers from weak writing, poor character development and an insistence on characters making stupid and illogical choices to drive the plot forward.

Razzies: The Strain: Dear. God. What a letdown. This has the honor of being the only show this year I couldn't bring myself to finish.
 

Monocle

Member
1. Hannibal; The superb first season was a diamond in the rough. No other show had half the ambition. With its visual richness, multilayered symbolism, and intelligent character driven intrigue, it defied all reasonable expectations and cleanly surpassed the best film adaptations, even elevating the original novels.

Take that in, and then consider that all of it is fully eclipsed by the second season. The masterful art direction is back and more gorgeous than before. The murder-art tableaux and black humor are bolder. Hannibal's manipulation of everyone in his orbit grows more intricate and sinister.

More than ever, the second season reflects the paradox of the title character, whose capacity for empathy and cruelty, for the most exalted and depraved extremes of human nature, presents a sublime vision of evil that is disturbingly hard to square with his effortless elegance and likeable persona. We watch Hannibal as he engineers soul shattering tragedy for the least deserving, and think that it might still be nice to join him for dinner. That is the seductive power of Mads Mikkelsen's performance, which would outshine the rest of the project if the writing were less exceptional, or the rest of the cast didn't complement him so effectively. Hugh Dancy in particular deserves the highest praise for fully committing to the turbulent arc of Will Graham. His evolution in this season is powerful.

Almost every episode of Hannibal Season 2 feels like a season finale, its twists and turns pack so much punch. When the finale does arrive, it's spectacular. A truly wrenching culmination of plots within plots, whose roots stretch back to the very first episode of the series. There is no other show like Hannibal. On the surface it's a pretty decent crime procedural that takes a while to crack open and reveal a damn good drama with uncommonly lavish visuals and sound design. Look deeper (SERIES SPOILERS), though, and you just might realize that it's the best show on television.
 

Haly

One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.
1. Hannibal ; I saw that Mumei watched this and Mumei has good taste. Also I like Mads Mikkelsen. The show itself is basically cinematography porn which is okay by me.
2. True Dick ; I blame duckroll and dresden for this one I think. I watched a bunch of live action stuff this year and True Dick was what got the ball rolling. I laughed at the disappointment over the lack of cthulhu-end.
3. Agents of SHIELD ; Duckroll and a friend of mine was the reason I picked this up. S1 is trash but S2 had some good bits.
 

Dalek

Member
1. Hannibal; The superb first season was a diamond in the rough. No other show had half the ambition. With its visual richness, multilayered symbolism, and intelligent character driven intrigue, it defied all reasonable expectations and cleanly surpassed the best film adaptations, even elevating the original novels.

Take that in, and then consider that all of it is fully eclipsed by the second season. The masterful art direction is back and more gorgeous than before. The murder-art tableaux and black humor are bolder. Hannibal's manipulation of everyone in his orbit grows more intricate and sinister.

More than ever, the second season reflects the paradox of the title character, whose capacity for empathy and cruelty, for the most exalted and depraved extremes of human nature, presents a sublime vision of evil that is disturbingly hard to square with his effortless elegance and likeable persona. We watch Hannibal as he engineers soul shattering tragedy for the least deserving, and think that it might still be nice to join him for dinner. That is the seductive power of Mads Mikkelsen's performance, which would outshine the rest of the project if the writing were less exceptional, or the rest of the cast didn't complement him so effectively. Hugh Dancy in particular deserves the highest praise for fully committing to the turbulent arc of Will Graham. His evolution in this season is powerful.

Almost every episode of Hannibal Season 2 feels like a season finale, its twists and turns pack so much punch. When the finale does arrive, it's spectacular. A truly wrenching culmination of plots within plots, whose roots stretch back to the very first episode of the series. There is no other show like Hannibal. On the surface it's a pretty decent crime procedural that takes a while to crack open and reveal a damn good drama with uncommonly lavish visuals and sound design. Look deeper (SERIES SPOILERS), though, and you just might realize that it's the best show on television.

Damn dude. Well done-I love this show so much, I'll be doing a rematch soon, and those screenshots you've linked to are glorious.

FYI: Season 1 is on sale at Amazon for 16.99 on Blu Ray, and Season 2 is 19.99.
 

C4Lukins

Junior Member
Sorry there will be no explanation. I am trying so hard to reduce my list to ten that justifying it would be disparaging to the losers that did not make it.

1. True Detective
2. Hannibal
3. Penny Dreadful
4. Homeland
5. Banshee
6. Fargo
7. Happy Valley
8. Sherlock
9. The Americans
10. Game of Thrones

Man television is so good these days.

Shows that did not make the top 10 but are still great

Bojack Horeseman
Orange is the New Black
House of Cards
24
Boardwalk Empire
South Park
Mad Men
Silicon Valley
The Killing
New Girl
Brooklyn 911
The Walking Dead
The Leftovers
 

ivysaur12

Banned
Oooh, sort of shitty that Mozart in the Jungle is premiering so late. I don't think it'd be on my top 10, but I bet that it would be on a few more people here's.
 

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
Oooh, sort of shitty that Mozart in the Jungle is premiering so late. I don't think it'd be on my top 10, but I bet that it would be on a few more people here's.

It's kind of a poor time to be premiering a show, yeah. I get that a lot of people like to binge over the Holidays, and that Mozart in the Jungle is by all accounts a good show, but I feel like it's going to get completely buried by end-of-year lists and whatnot. I hope I'm wrong though.
 

Sadsic

Member
A lot of stuff really blurs together for me, so this is fairly difficult to put together...

1.) Rectify S2 - Simply the best portrait of trauma I've ever seen. Pulls no punches in showing the great tragedy of life. I can't recommend it enough!

2.) True Detective S1 - A fantastic voyage into the nihilism that creeps beneath us all. Both main characters are illuminating to the eye.

3.) Hannibal S2 - A brutal visage of possibly satan himself; a wonderful journey to the ends of morality. Probably my favorite season finale as well this year.

4.) Utopia S2 - A very underrated show that continually looks, sounds and feels so beautiful. I will truly miss the original British version, but look forward to the HBO variation next year. Also, this is probably the best original track from a television show as well.

5.) Transparent S1 - Extremely, extremely poignant look into the fluidity of gender.

6.) Mad Men S7a - Yet another fantastic run for this series, this show does not look to be holding anything back for it's final group of episodes next year.

7.) The Knick S1 - A great look into the world of surgery in turn of the century New York; the soundtrack and cinematography give it a really gritty edge, which is welcomed.

8.) Fargo S1 - A very well crafted story and subversion of both movies Fargo and No Country for Old Men. A very pleasant mixture of the two.

9.) Rick and Morty S1 - The best new comedy I've seen in a long time, a fully formed new addition to the pantheon of great adult animated comedies.

10.) Space Dandy S1 & 2 - While it started it off fairly mediocre, the show grew into an extremely creative, beautifully animated darling, with some truly thought-provoking pieces of sci-fi later on in it's run.

Honorable Mentions:

Orange is the New Black S2
Game of Thrones S4
Boardwalk Empire S5
Broad City S1
The Eric Andre Show S3
Review S1
Louie S4
Nathan for You S2
The Heart, She Holler S3
Gravity Falls S2
 
EDIT: Forgot some things, one series in particular, which I just have to edit in.

1. Peaky Blinders - Season 2 blew the already great Season 1 out of the water, this was without a doubt my favourite show of the year. Cillian Murphy is delivering the performance of his life and the recurring Tom Hardy as Alfie Solomons was my personal best scene-stealer of the year. Every one of the five scenes he was in he completely dominated the scene (except for maybe the one in the last episode).

2. Hannibal - Some people don't like this show because of it's dream logic approach, for me it is what makes it so interesting. That and the incredible soundtrack, the haunting cinematography, the great actors and the on point dialogue.

3. The Knick - This one really surprised me. I still think it was a bit wonky in the beginning, but the longer the Season got the better this show became. And then of course there was "Get the Rope", one of my favourite hours of television this year. Can't wait for season 2.

4. Gomorrah - An Italian mafia drama that really holds nothing back. There is no romance here, just filth.

5. Fargo - They definitely nailed the style of the movie and Billy Bob was a force of fucking nature. He elevated an already great cast even further and every piece of dialogue with him in it was a joy to watch.

6. The Flash - Not deep or thought provoking like many other shows on this list, but just good, light hearted fun. The Flash just hit the ground running (and yes, I have made that pun several times now because I'm too lazy to think of something else).

7. Person of Interest - I don't know if there is any show out there that is more consistent than Person of Interest. There are no real ups and downs aside from the occasional boring number of the week episode, just a constant level of awesome.

8. True Detective - Could have been a lot higher on my list if it wasn't for some weird pacing issues and the abrupt ending. Sadly I can not see Pizzaman repeating this concept for Season 2 while ironing out the kinks, but I would definitely like to be proven wrong.

9. Silicon Valley - The only comedy on my list, sadly Silicon Valley's fantastic first season only had 8 short episodes.

10. The Legend of Korra - I was thinking long and hard about which show I would put last on this list because number 10 has the most competition. But TLoK deserves a spot for season 3 alone. Hell, even if all we would have gotten this year was the amazing finale of season 3 I would consider putting it on this list. Everything else was just icing on the cake.


I hate Top 10 lists because you just don't have enough space. There are dozens of shows I really like to watch that would deserve a spot, but 10 it is, so here are some honourable mentions:

*Last Week Tonight - I'm not normally in the habit of watching Talk Shows, but John Oliver took the format of political satire shows and elevated it to a new level. I'm constantly asking myself if I want more of this show because it is just that good or if I want him to keep the one episode per week format to insure the insanely high quality.

*Arrow had a consistently great second season and although the first half of Season 3 had some problems at first the Midseason cliffhanger left me hungry for more.

*Rectify - The finale left me speechless, Rectify is just so different than most other TV shows. The weird thing is, I still can't put my finger on the exact reason why I like this show.

*The Leftovers - The first season was pretty unfocused and kind of confusing sometimes, but every time the show got going it really knocked it out of the park.

*Mad Men - The first few episodes of the first half of Season 7 of Mad Men lacked direction but the last few episodes were classic Mad Men and Waterloo was one of the series best.

*The Americans - Season 2 was much better than the first season and it's a damn shame that the series will probably get cancelled after season 3.

*Jane the Virgin - This show is definitely something else and has figured out a new and exciting way to make people laugh. And while all the characters on screen are hilarious to watch, the actual star of this show is the narrator.

*Manhattan - This show was criminally overlooked and really came into it's own in the second part of the season. I'm very happy that we'll get more implosion problems and atomic bomb testing in 2015

*Penny Dreadful - A bit hit and miss, but the first Season had a lot of (very high) high points and Eva Green is her usual compelling self.

*Sherlock - Season 3 was not as good as season 2, but at least we didn't get a complete bust this time. Contrary to before, The Sign of Three was actually my favourite episode of Season 3.

*Vikings - Season 2 felt a little more unfocused than Season 1, nevertheless Vikings still manages to tell a fascinating story.

*Shameless - I still don't get why a lot of people don't give this show it's due. Funny, compelling and some parts of it really make you think.

*Boardwalk Empire - BE had better seasons, but they brought the whole show to a respectable end. Plus, Marc Pickering WAS Nucky. It is still unbelievable how well he emulated Buscemis speech patterns and how they managed to make these two look alike.

*Orange is the New Black - I liked Season 2 even better than season 1, but we need a lot more Lorna for season 3 though.
 

Decado

Member
For me this has been both an exciting and disappointing year for television. My favourite show from last year (Banshee) had a terrible sophomore season and Strike Back was pushed back. Cinemax made me sad :( On the upside, there were a ton of interesting new shows...though they largely didn't quite live up to expectations (looking particularly at Black Sails, The Strain, Penny Dreadful and Marco Polo).

I'm still finishing a few of these shows, but I expect this to be my top 15 in rough order:

Game of Thrones
Fargo
Vikings
Rick & Morty
Marco Polo
House of Cards
Peaky Blinders
Da Vinci's Demons
The Walking Dead
The Americans
24
Black Sails
Banshee
Sons of Anarchy
The Knick

I'll finalize/polish up the list in the next week as I finish watching Marco Polo (almost done!), Peaky Blinders, Sons of Anarchy and Vikings.
 

Vert boil

Member
1. Brooklyn Nine-Nine
2. Bojack Horseman
3. The Leftovers
4. 19-2
5. Enlisted
6. Review
7. Rectify
8. 24: Live Another Day ;
window
.gif JACK MOTHERFUCKING BAUER!
9. Olive Kitteridge
10. Bob's Burgers
-. Veep
-. Gomorrah
-. The Fall

The only thing I haven't watched yet is One Child.


Honourable mentions

Garfunkel and Oates

Mr Pickles original pilot

The Eric Andre Show

Transparent - This really should have been an eighty minute indie flick. Instead you have to Andy Dufresne this mofo just to catch a glimpse of the pretty thing.

Characters of the Year

<Marquee><Blink><Size=72><B>cRAIG1</B></Size></Blink></Marquee>
The Swede

TheOddOne Award

Almost Human
Crossbones
Halt and Catch Fire

Shannon Tweed Award for Lifetime Achievement in Television

Alexandra Daddario

Worst Show of the Year

The Flash
 
1. Hannibal; Thoughtful dialogue, great cinematography, Mads, what's not to love?
2. Utopia ; A step down from the last season, but the opening two episodes and the finale were all terrific. Also, it probably had the best music of any show ever. RIP
3. Nathan for You; It legitimately made me laugh until I cried. I can empathize too god damn much with poor Nathan.
4. Rick and Morty; A great mix of sci fi and comedy, it reminded me of the early seasons of Futurama except with a darker attitude.
5. Game of Thrones; Not the best season, but there were some extremely memorable and powerful moments along the way.
RIP Oberyn :(

Best show not from this year that I watched - Spartacus
A good mix of trashy fun and a well told story. Probably the most badass TV show in history.

Biggest disappointment- Arrow
I watched this because of the huge following on GAF, but it never really transcended its "CW"ness into something better. Not my thing.

Worst show that everyone likes- Bojack Horseman
The "washed up, cynical actor" character type is really played out. Bland comedy and the emotional beats didn't impress me.

Honorable mentions-
Eric Andre show
Penny Dreadful
The Fall
Fargo
 

inm8num2

Member
No idea how I missed this thread until now. I may edit this before the deadline, but here we go :)

Top Ten (in order)
Rectify
Fargo
Hannibal
True Detective
The Americans
The Knick
Louie
The Affair
Sons of Anarchy
You're the Worst

Honorable mention
Silicon Valley, Veep, Homeland, Justified, Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire, Wilfred

Others shows I enjoyed
Outlander, Orphan Black, Masters of Sex, Legit, Community, Parks and Recreation, Orange Is the New Black, The Flash, Arrow, Married, Penny Dreadful, House of Cards, Gotham, New Girl, South Park, Archer

Thanks for organizing, Ratsky!
 

Samuray

Member
Ah, why not :)

1. Game of Thrones
2. The Leftovers
3. The Walking Dead
4. True Detective
5. Halt and Catch Fire
6. Rectify
7. Agents of SHIELD
8. Penny Dreadful
9. Fargo
10. Person of Interest
 

Siegcram

Member
The Best

1. Hannibal - gorgeous, exhilarating and the best use of music and sound on TV.

2. Fargo - dark, funny, captivating.

3. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - insightful, hilarious and sometimes fucking sad.

4. Brooklyn 99 - first designated TV comedy (non-animated) in ages that's genuinely funny.

5. Person of Interest - S4 really brought me back around on the show, it embraced the serial format and upped the stakes considerably.

6. True Detective - flawlessly directed and probably the best intro of this list.

7. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders - my anime of the year and we're just now getting to the good part.

8. Game of Thrones - still must-see TV, though I caved and read the books.

9. Arrow - deserves a place on this list for the last episode alone; wow.

10.The Flash - still in its infancy, lots of setup and formulaic episodes, but the
potential, budget and cast is all there and it has the first positively intimidating antagonist in a comic TV-show.

The still-need-to-watch

Rectify - heard nothing but good things and the previous lists seem to reaffirm that.
Reign - just so my gf stops pestering me.
Penny Dreadful - can't be worse than the movie.
Adventure Time S6 - soooo many episodes.
Orphan Black - how Tatiana Maslany has still not won an Emmy is beyond me.



The Worst/Most Disappointing

House of Cards - jumped the shark in the first episode of the new season and got worse from there.
The Strain - not that surprising considering the source material.
Archer - Archer Vice had so much potential and they wasted it completely.
Sherlock - "tumblr wankery" - the show.
The Blacklist - James Spader needed money badly apparently.
Gotham - barely made it through the pilot.
Agents of SHIELD - it's supposedly good now, I may give it another chance.
 
1. Fargo - Superb acting and character work all around. Lester Nygaard is such a total fucking weasel, Malvo is one of the most entertaining shit-stirrers I've ever seen on TV, and Colin Hanks totally redeemed himself from his awful performance in Dexter.

2. Mad Men - Despite AMC being real shitty about this season (and to a lesser extent, Breaking Bad), the first half was fantastic. Peggy remains the best character.

3. Review - I've been a pretty big fan of Andy Daly's work since his appearances on Eastbound & Down and Comedy Bang Bang, so I was pretty excited when I found about about this show. It's a perfect showcase for his brand of comedy. Bonus points for including Fred Willard's best performance, as
a corpse in orbit
.

4. Rick & Morty - While the pilot really rubbed me the wrong way, it definitely got better as it went on. The comedy is mostly on point, but it shows a lot of potential with how dark some of the episodes get (the end of the love potion episode comes to mind). Maybe the writers can get away with going even darker next season instead of having to put a nice little bow on everything at the end, like with Rixty Minutes.

5. BoJack Horseman - Like Rick & Morty, this show had a pretty slow start, but got considerably better as it went on. There's plenty of nice sight gags and solid voice work (Shout-outs to Paul F. Tompkins). The best part, though, is how dark it gets. By the end, it went places that R&M would balk at. Hopefully next season will get all Moral Orel on us and make us feel like shit about life by the end of every episode.
 

Turin

Banned

He had a top 31 list and couldn't find room for Hannibal....

tumblr_mn1uxghFg71qad6pwo1_500.gif
 

Linius

Member
I really need to finish the last four Penny Dreadful eps. And I'll try to see The Affair (saw the pilot) and Transparent. Especially that last one is a lot of lists, so now I'm interested :p
 
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